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Modern Pagan News & CommentaryWed, 13 Dec 2017 20:30:59 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.4http://wildhunt.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/cropped-Square-FB-32x32.jpgThe Wild Hunthttp://wildhunt.org
3232The Satanic Temple continues its fight for religious liberty on multiple frontshttp://wildhunt.org/2017/12/the-satanic-temple-continues-its-fight-for-religious-liberty-on-multiple-fronts.html
http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/the-satanic-temple-continues-its-fight-for-religious-liberty-on-multiple-fronts.html#respondWed, 13 Dec 2017 20:30:59 +0000http://wildhunt.org/?p=21241The Satanic Temple (TST), based in Salem, is well known for its ongoing actions to enforce religious freedom laws and regulations. As is explained on its site, TST is “a religious organization with deeply held beliefs that engages in political activism in the realm of separation of church and state.” That mission has earned them multiple headlines since September, with several coming to a head only in past last two weeks.

Baphomet tree topper stolen

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Baphomet-head tree topper found on the the Satantic Temple’s (TST) holiday display at San Jose’s Christmas in the park was stolen in late November. The local chapter of TST had been given a spot in the city’s annual event to erect its own tree among the many others. The chapter held a ornament-making party and proudly placed the tree on schedule.

Christmas in the Park is a public event that is held every year since the 1950s, and community groups, businesses, and nonprofits placed their decorated holiday trees around the Plaza de Cesar Chavez for visitors to enjoy. On a designated date, the city holds a special tree lighting ceremony.

This year’s lighting ceremony was held on Nov. 24, the day after Thanksgiving. The park boasted 600 trees, breaking the world record for the number of trees illuminated in one place.

Among those trees was the one created by the Satantic Temple of San Jose, complete with its tree topper depicting Baphomet’s head. The tree immediately received backlash with one woman telling local news that it was “inappropriate for children.” Another woman echoed that sentiment on TST’s Facebook page: “I understand that’s your religion, but why would someone want a creepy scary face to see/stare at downtown where children and babies get scared directly.”

[Courtesy].

A few days after the ceremony, the head disappeared. On Nov. 28, spokesperson Sadie Satanas thanked the city for including the temple for the first time. In a statement, she said:

Members of the Satanic Temple- San Jose Chapter wished to be represented in our local community this holiday season. In the spirit of pluralism and with the intention of strengthening our community ties, we reached out to Christmas in the Park and secured a holiday tree for 2017. We anticipated the possibility of vandalism and/or theft, and while have no desire to encourage such poor behavior, decided a proper representation of our religion was worth the risk and used a beautiful hand crafted Baphomet mask as our tree topper….

Understanding that this theft does not represent our community as a whole, TST-San Jose would like to move past this incident and continue to participate in the holiday festivities as part of the local community we value and love. We will be replacing our tree topper as we can, and hope you all enjoy our tree.

A $35K lawsuit in Minnesota

BELLE PLAINE, Minn. – The Satanic Temple is seeking legal council in the state of Minnesota in order to sue the city of Belle Plaine for removing a local park’s free-speech zone.

In 2016, the Belle Plaine city council allowed the placement of a two-foot-high veterans memorial sculpture entitled “Joe,” which depicted a soldier kneeling before a cross-shaped headstone. After threat of lawsuit, the statue was removed in January, 2017.

Then in February, the city opted to created a free-speech zone and placed the statue back. The Satanic Temple applied to place its own veteran memorial, and was quickly approved. At the time, TST spokesperson Lucien Greaves said that city officials didn’t “offer any resistance, to their credit.” The monument was designed, approved and eventually constructed, and it bore the phrase: “In honor of the Belle Plaine veterans who fought to defend the United States and its constitution.”

Once erected, it would be the first of its kind in the U.S.

Rendering of TST monument [courtesy].

However, as word got out that TST would be erected a monument in the park, protests began. The city was flooded with emails and letters opposing the monument. In July, the Catholic nonprofit America Needs Fatima organized a protest. On that day, there was a standoff with veterans groups coming out supporting the TST placement, as we previously reported.

Then, on July 17, the city opted to shut down the free speech area. In a statement the council wrote, that it would “rescind [the] resolution enacted in February, 2017, that allowed individuals or organizations to place and maintain privately-owned displays in a designated space of the city-owned Veterans Memorial Park.”

At the time, TST spokesperson Adam Nagel said, “Funny how Christians and conservatives tout themselves as champions of the constitution, yet have such a hard time with free speech and separation of church and state.”

However, in the time since, the temple has decided to pursue legal action against the city. TST is suing for $35,000 in grievances, which equates to the cost to construct the monument. Greaves told local media, “We’re going to have a very difficult time finding another use for this.” Special design elements were made to accommodate city council specifications. Greaves said, “It’s all at our loss.” The city has rejected TST’s claim that the council broke contract.

TST is reportedly going to pursue the lawsuit.

Satanic wedding cakes

WASHINGTON — The Satanic Temple spokesperson Lucien Greaves reportedly said in September that if the Supreme Court rules in favor of the baker, the temple will request a cake for a Satanic wedding. In a tweet at the time, Greaves said, “Did you know: bakers can’t refuse service to The Satanic Temple because religion is a ‘protected class?'”

The organization and Greaves posted the following photo of a design on social media.

The laws of the United States require that no one may discriminate by way of refusal of service against an evangelical theocrat for their religious beliefs, but the evangelical theocrat may discriminate against LGBTQ people because of who they are.

Because religion is a protected class, a baker may refuse service to LGBTQ people, but they may not refuse service based upon someone’s religion. If they aren’t willing to make a cake for same-sex unions, let’s have them make a cake to honor Satan instead.

The Satanic Temple proclaims that if the right to discriminate against the LGBTQ community is codified into law by the Supreme Court, aggrieved parties who face discrimination should contact them.

Greaves said, “If you can’t get a cake for your same-sex union we’ll host a party in your honor at the Satanic Temple headquarters in Salem and order a cake that praises Satan from your offending discriminatory ‘religious liberty’ enthusiast.”

Since these statements were made in September, opponents have been using the words “troll” and “trolling.” Whether or not the temple will be put in the position to follow through will be seen next year. The SCOTUS case was heard Dec. 5 with an outcome expected in July, 2018.

* * *

While the Satanic Temple is largely not considered a Pagan organization, some of its members may identify as such. Regardless of the religious or non-religious leanings of the temple itself or of its individual members, TST’s actions are aggressively in support of religious liberty and the protections of free speech in public space. The organization is a strong proponent of the absolute separation of church and state, and most of its actions and activities focus on holding government accountable to that ideal. Their successes benefit more than just their own members.

In 2014, we explored how Pagan, Heathen, and polytheist communities can benefit and even learn from TST’s work. We spoke to both Greaves and several Pagan activists. At the time said, T. Thorn Coyle said, “The Satanic Temple is approaching the public square head on, with no apologies. I appreciate that … The Satanic Temple are unapologetically themselves and move ahead by assuming they already have the same civil rights as other religions. In approaching the public sphere in this way, they serve to highlight where the real cracks in the wall of “separation of church and state” are. The Satanic Temple, by acting forthrightly, are taking a hammer and chisel to those cracks. For this, I applaud them.”

Other recent actions to follow:

TST announces it will “sue the state of Arkansas for erecting a privately-donated Ten Commandments monument on capitol grounds while refusing the Satanic Temple’s donation of the Baphomet monument to reside on those same grounds.”

]]>http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/the-satanic-temple-continues-its-fight-for-religious-liberty-on-multiple-fronts.html/feed0Pagan artist trading cards mix magic and devotionhttp://wildhunt.org/2017/12/pagan-artist-trading-cards-mix-magic-and-devotion.html
http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/pagan-artist-trading-cards-mix-magic-and-devotion.html#respondTue, 12 Dec 2017 19:48:19 +0000http://wildhunt.org/?p=21238TWH –Artist trading cards appear to be a good fit for many Pagan and polytheist communities, because they are intended to celebrate art for its own sake, free of critiques and commercial motivations. There have been a number of efforts to popularize what initiator M. Vänçi Stirnemann calls “a collaborative cultural performance” among Pagans and polytheists, but the idea does not yet appear to have caught fire in the collective imagination of these communities.

Sometimes abbreviated ATCs, artist trading cards are miniature works created in the dimension of other trading or collectible cards, because they’re intended to be swapped rather than sold. Since Stirnemann launched the project with an exhibition in April 1997, regular trading sessions have occurred monthly in Zurich and Calgary.

In addition to those and other trading sessions, artists swap them when they meet, and also through the mail. They are never to be sold, according to Stirnemann, who writes on his site that the cards and money “don’t mix,” as “the point of the project is the exchange of cards as well as the personal experience.”

Trading in person is preferable, according to Stirnemann, and that’s perhaps why there’s very little barrier to participating.

“A movement was then born that denounced the tradition of critiquing and appraising art, and embraced the process of one artist connecting with another,” writes Etain Butterfly in a recent article on Witchvox about Pagan artist trading cards. It’s easier for people to meet and trade if the inner art critics remain silent.

Art free of criticism resonates with Candace Ross, priestess of the Temple of Sekhmet. “The project was not directed at professional artists, but anyone who has a desire to create something and share it. I believe everyone is born with the ability to create, and should use that ability in any way that brings them a connection with spirit.”

Pagan artist trading cards and album, Temple of Sekhmet [courtesy].

Many Pagans and polytheists have an artistic bent, and a fair number appreciate ways to sidestep traditional commercial economics; it’s not surprising, therefore, that any number of people have sought to embrace this miniature art form as a way of building community within these intersecting religious communities.

Trades have been organized by members of Ár nDraíocht Féin, for example, while the Temple of Sekhmet’s Ross organized a trade-by-mail program.

“When I first heard about artist trading cards several years ago, I was really jazzed about it and thought it would be a wonderful way for people to connect with and share their art,” writes Ross. “We ask for two cards from each participant, one for the permanent album, and the other to send out to the next person responding.”

Ross also reports, “I wish I could tell you the project is going fabulously, but I’ve only had four participants to date,” and the project has been ongoing for several years.

Melissa Hill, a founding member of the Cedarsong Grove of ADF, was involved in an effort to promote the cards in that Druid organization. She recalls both efforts to organize trades and “we also were doing a program where we were sending artist trading cards to new protogroves, though eventually that died out. We did an online swap for sure, where we mailed each other cards, [and] though I don’t remember an in-person swap, there could have been one.”

Hill did offer to contact members of the ADF artists’ guild for more information, but no additional response was received by press time.

The seeming lack of interest has plagued Butterfly, as well. Prior to her recent Witchvox article, in early 2015 she created an old-fashioned Yahoo group to coordinate swaps of artist trading cards among Pagans. The most recent post to the group was in February 2016. Butterfly was contacted for comment, but did not respond by press time.

There is no shortage of Pagan- and polytheist-themed art in trading-card sizes, but much of it is intended for commercial sale. Pagan prayer cards, typically with an original or historic verse on one side and an appropriate image on the other, might be offered for free or for sale. Artist trading cards, for which sale is specifically proscribed, align with the value held by some community members that prayers and spells should never be exchanged for money.

For those who practice it, such cards are also an easy medium for magic. Butterfly writes that she has “used these cards in [her] spell workings by incorporating [her] intent in the card design.”

She says, “I find that the pure creative energy flow while making the ATCs binds with the intent making the spell that much stronger.”

“I feel there is a lot of power/magick in original art,” writes Ross. “When a person shares their art with another person, they are releasing that energy, sharing their magick.” She herself tends of focus on themes of peace, nature, and goddess for her own cards.

Even if artist trading cards never reach critical mass, it’s not difficult to find miniature sacred art for Pagan or polytheist practice. In addition to the aforementioned prayer cards, Melissa A Benson tells of a project she’s working on, a set of “travel cards” for Pagans.

“The idea is that when you go on the road, you can bring everything you would normally have on your altar with you in card form, because everything is represented on these cards. During ritual, you would position everything as you normally would,or you could lay them out tarot-card fashion.

“This means that you can avoid all the red flags and the hassles, especially at the airport, of trying to bring candles, athame and so on through sensitive check points on your journey.”

Benson, whose work includes some of the early cards for Magic: the Gathering, is designing them to fit into the binder pages designed for those cards, reinforcing their low-key nature at security checkpoints.

For any interested in dipping a toe into the artistic waters, rest assured there are co-religionists eager to trade their works. Commercial activity will always be needed to support artists, Pagan or otherwise, but a small-but-impassioned group of Pagans and polytheists are not ready to give up on this other way that art can intersect with these religions.

]]>http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/pagan-artist-trading-cards-mix-magic-and-devotion.html/feed0Pagan Community Notes: California fires, Raven’s Loft, Elaine Coleman, and morehttp://wildhunt.org/2017/12/pagan-community-notes-california-fires-ravens-loft-elaine-coleman-and-more.html
http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/pagan-community-notes-california-fires-ravens-loft-elaine-coleman-and-more.html#respondMon, 11 Dec 2017 19:09:56 +0000http://wildhunt.org/?p=21233CALIFORNIA – For a second time this year, massive and catastrophic fires are destroying parts of California. The Thomas fire, which is the biggest, is currently being called the “fifth-largest in the state’s history,” and it reportedly continues to force “new evacuations in towns as far north as Santa Barbara.” The state’s famous Santa Ana winds have only made the situation worse.

The state boasts a large Pagan population from south to north. The last set of fires, which occurred in the fall, brought local Pagans and many distant friends together to perform water magic in order to help curb the damage and stop the flames. As columnist Crystal Blanton wrote, “Rain magic and other forms of weather related workings have a long history in many different cultures. Indigenous groups around the world engaged in different forms of prayer, workings, dances, and rituals to ensure the land was taken care of and the people had their needs met.” Diana Rajchel, who organized one of the group workings in October, asked participants to bring “a little bit [of saved rainwater] to use in this as part of the sympathetic working.”

While no official calls for group water magic have gone out yet, it is fair to assume that many Pagans, and even others outside of that specific community, are in fact saying prayers and doing spell work to bring the rains. As both Blanton and Rajchel said, “This is one of the oldest forms of community working around – the work for the good of the land and the people.” If you or your group are engaged in water magic to help California, we welcome you to post in the comments.

We will continue to report on this story and bring news of the affected area and Pagan events as needed.

* * *

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Raven and Stephanie Grimassi have re-opened their online store after a fire destroyed their home in July. “Raven’s Loft online shop is now back up to full operation. Customers wanted, no previous shopping experience required,” Raven jokingly said in the announcement.

On June 27, a house fire broke out at the home from which they operate the store Raven’s Loft. According to the fire marshal, the blaze was caused by a lightning strike during a thunderstorm. The home was unlivable and the couple evacuated. A fundraiser was set up to help the couple recover and, as of publication, they have raised $19,258. The campaign is still open.

The shop itself, which once had a storefront in Escondido, California, has operated strictly online since 2002. Due to the fire and the cleanup, the store had not been operational since the fire in July. Raven Grimassi made the announcement Nov. 30 that the store was back in business and that the House of Grimassi would once again be offering classes and readings.

* * *

[Facebook profile photo]

The Chicago Pagan community has lost one of its members. Elaine Coleman, the high priestess for the Wiccan Temple of the Celtic Way (WTCW), has died after living with lung cancer for several years.

Coleman was born in 1943 and grew up in Richton Park, Illinois. Her son Paul wrote, “My mother enjoyed dancing and figure skating. She taught my brother and I how to ice skate. This eventually led us to enjoy the game of hockey….She skated for the Homewood-Flossmoor drill team for many years. She enjoyed individual competition, team competition and loved many of the ice shows that her drill team was involved in.” Her husband Dan added, that she started life as “a competition ball room dancer … performing with a dance troupe here in the U.S. and Canada.”

But he says that her “proudest accomplishment was she became a high priestess of the Wiccan temple of the Celtic way which she ran with [him] for 32 years.” Through that work, she became a member of Covenant of the Goddess and was active within her area’s local councils over the past two decades. After one disbanded, Elaine and her coven assisted in founding the Midwest Regional Local Council. Elaine also served as the organization’s treasurer, or what the organization calls “pursewarden” for several years, and regularly attended the annual national meeting.

One close friend posted on Facebook, “No matter what was going on in her own life, she put others first and would always make time to talk…sometimes for hours. She always tried to be nonjudgmental and unbiased, but would not hesitate to tell one how she ‘felt’ ”

Dan Coleman said, “She was my perfect example of how to live, love, laugh, and enjoy life and living to embrace joy and help others. My wife Elaine exemplified what it means to be a giving, caring, loving, trusting, woman who has truly been a beacon of compassion with an iron fist in a velvet glove.” What is remembered, lives.

In other news

Organizers of Mystic South announced that registration and submission forms are open for the 2018 event. The Altanta-based Pagan conference held its inaugural event last year in July. While it was ultimately a successful event, attendees found themselves in an unusual situation when a main water pipe broke leaving the hotel without water and air-conditioning for nearly 12 hours. Mystic South continued on despite the problems and ended on a high note, with a closing ritual given by John Beckett. This year’s event will be held at the same hotel and the organizers are looking forward another successful event, but with water and air conditioning. Mystic South is currently accepting registration as well as submissions for vendors, workshops, and the dedicated academic track called PAPERS (Pagan and Polytheist Educational Research Symposium).

The Solar Cross Temple continues its monthly “Devotions for the People,” n public service provided over the internet. Based in Oregon, the Solar Cross Temple offers monthly devotionals every third Sunday with different themes and different leaders. This month’s devotional is aptly titled, “For the Renewal of Hope,” coinciding with the spirit found in many of the festivals that occur during this time of year. The devotional is presented by Anthony Rella. Anyone can participate and the instructions are posted on Facebook.

Colorado-based Cró Dreoilín and the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans at Jefferson Unitarian Church have announced the dates for the fifth annual Paths and Traditions fair. Held in January, this fair is one of the very few organized Pagan-related activities that happens during this month. It is described as “a day-long open house for those who are new or seeking info on Pagan and Polytheist paths to come and meet representatives of various traditions or groups.” The organizers are currently looking for more groups to attend in order to share their information or offer workshops for the attendees. The Paths and Traditions fair will be held on Jan. 13 at the Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, Colorado.

The Museum of Women and the Goddess Temple of Orange County, based in Irvine, California, recorded and created a video of their 2018 Yule celebration. The event took place Dec. 2. and was coordinated by museum director Ava Park, who reported that this year’s ritual was dedicated to “the ancient Egyptian Goddess ‘Nwt, the Goddess of the Vault of Heaven’… Her body made of stars … the stars upon which you gaze each evening as you lift your eyes to the night sky.” The video is published below and available directly on YouTube.

Tarot of the week with Star Bustamonte:

Deck: Ancestral Path Tarot by Julie Cuccia-Watts published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Card: Hermit, major arcana, IX (nine)

The Hermit is a card that can reflect a variety of circumstances and outcomes–wisdom, higher education, self-examination, and delving deep into the mysteries. Contrarily, it can reflect the eschewing of all of those things, as well as extremely unwise actions being taken.

This week is liable to be full of challenges that will require us to look beneath the surface and use most or all of the many skills we possess to come out on top. Sometimes the best move is to stand still until we fully understand the action required.

]]>http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/pagan-community-notes-california-fires-ravens-loft-elaine-coleman-and-more.html/feed0Treating depression in a Pagan contexthttp://wildhunt.org/2017/12/treating-depression-in-a-pagan-context-2.html
http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/treating-depression-in-a-pagan-context-2.html#respondSun, 10 Dec 2017 16:12:47 +0000http://wildhunt.org/?p=21229(Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in January 2015. It has been one of our most popular articles since that date.)

UNITED STATES — It’s become fairly commonplace for articles about Blue Monday to come up at this time of year. According to a formula concocted for a now-defunct travel network, the third Monday in January is the most depressing day of the year. While that designation was most likely created to sell vacation packages, it does serve to focus attention on a complex, often intractable condition.

[public domain]

Pagans are certainly not unusual in suffering from depression, but since their worldviews can differ widely from that of the over culture, the tools and techniques for treating depression may also differ. To learn more, The Wild Hunt spoke with Pagan mental health professionals, as well as those who have struggled with depression.

Reverend Selena Fox, founder of Circle Sanctuary, has been a practicing psychotherapist for most of her adult life, and most of the people she works with in that context are Pagan. “It’s important one takes a holistic approach to healing and wellness,” she said. For Pagans, she added, that means “to be able to tap into their spirituality as part of working on getting better.”

That is only one part of a successful treatment plan for depression, she stressed, for two main reasons:

A biochemical imbalance may be contributing to one’s depression, and often the best treatment in such cases involves biochemical support. “It’s really important to deal with the physical-plane dimensions of the condition, as well as the spiritual ones,” Fox said. That may mean medication, or one of the many herbal supplements which are used to lift mood. Determining which is best should be left to a trained professional.

There is a tendency among depression sufferers to constrict one’s social life as these interactions and activities stop giving pleasure. “It’s important to be aware of those tendencies and get help shifting out of holing up like that,” said Fox. Again, that help can take the form of a professional, such as a social worker, counselor, or therapist, or that help can be observant loved ones who are able to recognize depressed behavior.

Fox actually likened depression to a common cold in that it’s a relatively common condition, which should be resolved within a couple of weeks with self-care. Like the cold, though, if it persists longer than that, outside treatment should be sought. She recalled working in a clinic where some patients would only decide to seek help after having suffered for six or eight months.

“It’s much easier to treat depression when it’s addressed earlier,” she said, noting that there are always treatment options available, no matter how serious the condition has become.

Some ways to find a suitable mental health professional include asking for references from Pagan friends and organizations in the local area, or contacting a professional association, such as the Association for Transpersonal Psychology that recognizes the importance of holistic approaches.

Taking all of that into account, there are Pagan-specific approaches to handling depression; all of which can be incorporated into a larger treatment plan. Both Fox and Tony Rella, a mental health counselor in the Seattle area and a student-mentor at the Morningstar Mystery School, use the elements of earth, water, air, and fire in their treatment plans. Fox also includes spirit in her approach.

While not every Pagan incorporates these concepts into their own religious practice, these elements can be used to present the information and recommendations that we have gathered from Fox, Rella and others.

Earth

Earth, the body, can take a beating during depression. Sleep patterns can be disrupted, and an attitude of, “What difference does it make?” can lead to poor self-care. Fox likens this to a passive form of suicidal ideation. “Someone who has the flu might not have the energy to get it treated, and it turns into pneumonia,” she explained.

Rella said activity and diet are very important earth aspects. “Am I getting exercise? Am I spending time outside? Am I getting regular doses of sunlight or Vitamin D? A big problem in the Pacific Northwest! Is my diet promoting health? There is emerging research that indicates a relationship between depression and inflammation in the body, leading some professionals to suggest experimenting with reducing or eliminating foods that might promote inflammation, like foods high in sugar.”

About a decade ago, I started noticing certain foods seemed to impact me. I was focusing more on reducing my migraines and acne, but (as it turned out) those foods also impacted my depression. I used to live off hot pockets, mini pizzas, and soda. Carbs, sugar, dairy. It took years to finally make the switch to a (roughly) paleo diet. No grains, no added sugars, no dairy, no calorie free sweeteners.

Part of what helped me to make the switch was my belief that the divine is in each person, and that my body is divine. ‘My body is a living temple of love’ is a line from one of my favorite chants. My sacred body is worth the extra effort. Eliminating certain foods reduced the exhaustion/depression symptoms, and helped me to lose a hundred pounds which has significantly reduced my foot pain and joint pain. Taking Vitamin D, B, and my prescribed thyroid medication also helped.

Factors like sunlight and physical activity can be difficult to manage in northern climes. When reached for this story, Fox reported that it was 40 below outside her Wisconsin home. “Some days, sitting by a sunny window is all you can do,” she acknowledged, but she suggests supplementing limited exposure to sunlight with full-spectrum light boxes, and visualization exercises. Weather permitting, she also recommends nature walks for a number of reasons: exercise is known to improve depression in its own right, changing one’s environment can interrupt a cycle of negative thinking, and Pagans in particular tend to respond well to exposure to the natural world.

One very pragmatic approach comes from Heathen Cara Freyasdaughter.

I take my depression meds regularly. I also get them refilled and checked on a regular basis by doctors who are qualified to do this. I see this as part of a larger technique for dealing with depression called “taking care of myself.” My Goddess has Strong Opinions on whether I (or others) take care of ourselves enough or love ourselves enough. It’s a constant message that I, and others who work with Her, get. So I find that when I take care of myself, I honor Her as well.”

Water

Regarding the element of water, Rella asks questions that are tied to mood, including “Can I give space and permission for painful emotional experiences to emerge? What deeper wisdom might these feelings point toward? What difficult truths can I see in my heart?”

Feelings about others also feed into the water element. Fox pointed out that loved ones can be among the first to recognize depression. “If you are encouraging a loved one who seems to be in the funks and talks negatively day in and out, it’s a really good idea to have some conversations with that person hoping it will encourage or motivate them to get some additional help.”

Blogger Alyxander Folmer, writing about his own struggles with depression, said that his loved ones serve as a source of motivation:

. . . during the hardest points of depression just mustering the energy required to express emotion can be daunting. When just getting out of bed feels like it takes more energy than you’ve got in the tank, it’s hard to care enough to put on music (or fight laundry monsters). On those days, the only thing that gets me moving is remembering that people need me.

I have a wife who deserves a functioning partner. I have approximately 1/3 of a child who needs me to to provide a safe and stable life for it to grow. I have friends that need to know they can call on me when times are hard. This has become my morning mantra for those days when I’m just to exhausted to muster up will to function. It doesn’t matter how I feel, or how little I care about anything else. That one thought will get me moving.

Detached compassion is something I developed not initially to cope with depression but as part of shadow work years ago as I learned how to drop the tools that had helped me survive a violent, abusive upbringing but were then getting in the way of my being a functional adult with healthy relationships. It was something I developed so that I could trust in my gods and in the people who loved me, and it spilled over into dealing with depression. It’s a sort of stepping back from the emotional ups and downs that hit so fast they leave me dizzy, it’s the practice of disengaging from one’s emotions. Emotions are always in a state of flux for me, and they are often untrustworthy.

It’s harder when the emotion is a constant, steady stream of a conviction of unworth, of wretchedness, and the knowing that nothing will ever get better, and this burning desire to cease existing will go on and on and on with no relief, but having the practice in place helps me turn my connection to those emotions off. It’s like I sort of side-step them. I watch them, I hear them, and I feel them, but I turn aside so that the feeling of them isn’t as direct. I’m not as engaged with them. Usually, this helps shorten the duration of my being mired in the black. The days I have when I lose all interest in my projects are fewer, and it’s been a long time since I’ve lost months like I used to.

Knight noted, “When my depression was at its worst, I couldn’t acknowledge I had depression because that would mean I was ‘bad,’ ‘worthless,’ ‘hopeless.’ Admitting I had a problem — looking into that dark, shadowy mirror of my own fears — was the first big step. Getting help was more difficult as I have no health insurance, and I was alone without much income. I did manage to get some help via therapy at a cheap clinic, but even that cost too much. I was introduced to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, though, and I realized that I had done personal work similar to that when I was doing leadership training at Diana’s Grove.”

Air

Air is associated with the intellect and thoughts. “What kind of story is my depression telling about me?” asks Rella. “What harmful self-beliefs are coming to light? How could I rewrite those stories to promote more ease and self-acceptance?”

Fox suggests monitoring self-talk to identify the onset of depression, which can otherwise begin without detection. On paper or electronically, jot down one’s thoughts over the course of a day. “If a person is finding a great propensity for negative thinking that is often an indicator that there’s some kind of depression going on. Phrases such as, ‘Well, what’s the point, I’m failing at this, nothing’s ever going to get better.’ If there’s ideation indicating hopelessness, sorrow, putting oneself down, that’s a sign you need some help.”

[public domain]

S. Jade Gribanov said that distracting herself from negative thoughts works for her. She added, “Music. Anything that makes me feel good. A brainless inconsequential activity to occupy my conscious mind. My brain will run itself in circles for a few hours. Most of it will be garbage but I always come up with a couple of things to keep me going for a while longer.”

Music works for Knight, as well. “I sometimes also sing to manage depression, and I’m trying to work singing into a daily practice. While I still struggle with occasional ‘pit of despair’ days where I am utterly exhausted, and I am still trying to find ways to feel emotions like joy and happiness, my life is far better than it was.”

Freyasdaughter embraces her own thoughts from times when she felt better. “I read my past writings. There are times when I am full of faith and trust in the Gods completely, and when depression hits I lose most of that. So it’s good for me to go back and see these hopeful things, written by my own hand, and remember that the depressive funk I’m in can and will pass. It has before.”

Poseidonae also uses her writing, but slightly differently. “Writing is a huge part of coping. Going easy with myself when I need to is also a part of it. Losing myself in fiction. Sometimes throwing myself into my devotional acts helps, and sometimes it makes it worse. Sometimes I have to retreat away from all my gods — Poseidon being the sole exception — and just be.”

Fire

“In my observation, qualities of Fire are particularly challenging for people with depression,” said Rella. “The depression says, ‘I don’t care about anything and I don’t have the strength to do anything.’ Engaging the will to act on something important to me is a powerful coping strategy. Sustaining a daily practice, even when you don’t ‘feel it,’ helps.”

He goes on: “For some people at the height of depression, getting out of bed to take a shower is a tremendous act of will, and worth validating. Those who have never experienced a deep depression might have trouble understanding how much courage and strength it takes to do these daily tasks, and it is the enactment of these that helps the person work through and move out of their depression.”

For Fox, action can often break the patterns that feed depression, as has been touched upon earlier. Fire can also be utilized literally, in the form of candles or exposure to sunlight and other full-spectrum lighting.

Spirit

Fox uses spirit in the context of “one’s practices and understandings” when speaking about depression. “Some daily spiritual practice can be a really important component,” she said.

“That could take the form of “being at a home altar calling on the Divine, Goddess, God, Great Spirit, or a particular pantheon, depending on the tradition. Actually call on the sacred and ask for assistance as one goes through life and the day.” Further, “a ritual for self-healing involving chanting, candlelight, incense, [or] affirmations . . . is really a complement to whatever else one is doing.”

I believe that if you keep your eyes open for them, the gods send you signs also. When my husband was in a major car accident and in the ICU for a month, the phrase “this too shall pass” continued to be sent to me. People would say it on the bus to me; I saw it tattooed on the wrist of one of the kinder nurses. You get the idea.

Hellenist Conor Davis finds that religious ritual sometimes works for him. “I have found that, when I can manage it, prayers and devotionals can help me with some of the milder symptoms of depression. On bad days where I don’t want to get out of bed much less leave the house, nothing seems to help and everything seems feeble.”

Freyasdaughter said, “I make a gratitude list. By that point or so, I’m in a place where I can move easily into a state of worshipping my Goddess, and in return She gives me back love. It’s a great feedback loop. When I’m depressed it’s often very difficult to reach out to the gods and trust that they are there, or to trust that anything I’m feeling or hearing from them is real or true. So, the gratitude list, where I sit myself down and make myself look at the things that are going well in my life, helps me to get back into that connected, hopeful headspace again.”

Dver, a spirit-worker on the margins of Hellenic polytheism, made this observation: “I have come to the conclusion over the years that my chronic depression is actually a recurring shaman sickness, essentially (I’m not actually a shaman, but a spirit-worker, and this concept seems to apply to various sorts of mystics). When I hit my worst point many years ago, I began delving into spirit-work (though I didn’t call it that at the time) and things got much better. To this day, when I am experiencing any longish stretch of depression (more than a few days), it is almost always a call to pay attention to what I am neglecting, and once I begin doing my Work again, the depression lifts.”

[Photo Credit: Martin Gommel/Flickr]

Many of those who reached out or wrote about this topic have compared depression to an underworld journey, in which the traveler must confront difficult truths, or even discern truth from self-lies. Given the complex and powerful symbolism in this area, it’s worth further study.

Depression is a condition which can alter one’s own perceptions of self-worth, which can lead to neglect of the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life. A holistic approach to treatment might include physical activity, monitoring self-talk, performing regular spiritual practice even if it seems pointless, and changes in diet and medication. Because it can be a serious illness, and particularly because it changes self-perception, outside help should be sought for any depression which lasts for more than a few days.

Mexicans, religious or not, usually refer to the holiday season as Guadalupe-Reyes. It starts with the Virgin of Guadalupe Day December 12 and ends with Día de los Reyes Magos (biblical Magi) January 6. This often includes a feasting and drinking marathon. Therefore, Pagans and Witches usually celebrate the winter solstice before the exact solstice date because we are busy with family gatherings or we are on vacation.

Conjuring up my first Yule always puts a smile on my face; it was the first ritual I participated within a coven. I will never forget the High Priest opening the door, welcoming me with a warm smile, and the smell of pine, cinnamon, rosemary and myrrh in the house. Everyone greeted me with kind words, and I could finally understand what Merry Greet really meant.

At the same time, everyone therel had a curious face, wondering what this 16 year old boy was doing there. The High Priest would tell them: “Don’t judge young people because of their age, most of the time they are wiser than us.” I did not feel wise at all, though. On the contrary, I felt I knew nothing, and I wanted to learn it all and participate in anything I could within the ritual.

Since that night, I’ve always enjoyed talking about Yule to my friends and family.

The fact that some Mexicans celebrate the Winter Solstice using ancient Nordic European terms and symbols may be surprising for many. But although we are a religious minority, you can find quite a few Pagan groups celebrating Yule, or Jól in Mexico.

Cofradía Wicca Luna Azul, for example, celebrates Yule on the closest weekend to December 21. Alejandro Estanislao, High Priest of the Cofradía, says that one of his most important jobs is to raise the principal altar with the representation of the Sun Child as a central symbol. It stands for the rebirth of the Sun and the rebirth of light.

“[By] representing the rebirth of the Sun through the Child figure, we generate a type of commitment, a devotional work toward the energy of the Sun, of hope, of rebirth, dedicating a spiritual work, meditation, healing or service,” Estanislao explains.

“We also invoke the Winter Fairies for the work of wishes, and we also do a gift exchange. We ask the attendees to bring a symbolic gift related to magic and spirituality with the goal of sharing with others what they want for themselves, in other words, ‘offering to somebody else what they want the new cycle to bring to themselves.”

During this time of year, Estanislao also organizes a free public talk or conference to inform people about their tradition. The talk is usually called The Pagan Origin of Christmas.

“We talk about the original symbolism of Christmas, although it has been totally absorbed by Christianity, the symbolic part is actually related to Pagan traditions.” he explains.

For Círculo Ágora Meraki, the winter solstice is the obligatory celebration for its members, a chosen family made up of the sisters and brothers of the tradition.

“We celebrate the return of the Sun God into our life, therefore, for us, is the first light after a period of introspection, self-healing and acknowledgement of a whole wheel’s work on all levels: physical, emotional and spiritual,” explains Adartia-Monserrat Sánchez, Priestess of Círculo Ágora Meraki.

“The meaning can sound very simple ‘the promise of life and Gods come true’, this means that with the first light the wheel is awaken in my whole being and, in my heart, a new phase starting another degree on this everlasting spiral.”

Sánchez adds,“For this reason, is very important to me to celebrate the winter solstice with people related to my beliefs and thought, to accomplish a tuning and harmony suitable for a new year, that can allow me to visualize the appropriate work for me and for my brothers and sisters.”

An example of Nordic-themed winter solstice celebrations in Mexico come from Allthing Ásatrú México. As a Tribal Council, the group brings together several clans that celebrate together the last festival of the Sun Wheel. They consider Jól as the Mother Night of Winter. According to Hilðúlfr Úlfey, the Goði of Allthing Ásatrú México and of the Úlfey Ásatrú Norsk Séð México clan, this festival is a celebration characterized for showing unity and focusing on family.

Within the festival’s activities, there is the search for and a cutting of Jól’s log, which then should also burn during the coming days. Also, the clans cook meals together and prepare the Mjöd in advance for the final celebration.

“We integrate symbols that are typical of the Ancient Nordic Traditions, among them is Jól’s Goat, previously mentioned Jól’s Log with both, its arboreal and baking form, mistletoe plays an important role, since the largest growth of the plant, which also plays an important role on God Balder’s death, happens within these dates.” adds Úlfey.

[pexels]

For La Orden de los Hijos del Dragón the most important symbol of the seasonal celebration are the lights on the central altar, and taking the solstice festivity as a time of forgiveness and of fasting in our homes. It is time to share outwardly good will, and a time of maturity and love.

“The basic way of Yule is sharing the Sol Invictus festivity, we have a tradition that goes beyond a simple ritual… It is talked about us that we are traditional family Witchcraft, because we are and celebrate that way,” says Driel Molmont, leader and guardian of the Order.

“We never incorporate eclectic elements from Christianity to have something in common with the rest of the world. We take what our ancestors form the Mexican Revolution time worked. Occasionally, we give talks so people can live the solstice spirit as we feel it.”

Molmont continues on to say, “In a ceremonial manner, we also carry out the descent of Light, a ritual part of the fraternity and western mystery school we belong to. The symbolic work is forming the Triskele and its three worlds. In addition, we also give food and blankets to people that need them and I, personally, renovate my vows with my husband.”

Martha Aida Ochoa Díaz Barriga, High Priestess and founder of the The Witch’s Garden School and La Orden del Dragón Azul coven, discusses the meaning of cleansing the she relates to the solstice celebration. “…Just like the Sun has a wonderful cycle, we try to adjust to its times and forms. Therefore, the winter solstice has a meaning of binding and untying the loose ends that we left during the wheel.”

“We do what we consider the general cleaning, not only at home, but also in our lives,” she explains. “We consider the solstice as the liberation, because only with it the rebirth comes again. We leave spaces in our closets and homes empty, in order to be filled with what we wish and be renewed with the new wheel that starts spinning, with the sun that is reborn and that reminds us that light never abandons us.”

Ochoa also says, “The ritual that we do invites us to remember that the cold of the winter can be beautiful, because it requests us to look for the warmth of our loved ones. We honor the Goddess that is about to give birth to the God, we put the cauldron in the center of the altar and we decorate it with the flowers of the season, like the poinsettia. We also put inside the cauldron yellow candles representing the birth of the Sun within the Goddess’ womb.”

Although there is are prehispanic correspondences of the winter solstice celebration such as the Aztec festivity Panquetzaliztli that celebrates the birth of the sun god Huitzilopochtli, Pagans, Heathens, and modern Witches generally connect more with the European symbols and deities. However, some do include prehispanic symbols or tools in their rituals,

For example, Ochoa’s coven is not against the idea of integrating prehispanic symbols or activities. In fact, they study the pantheons of the Americas’ cultures.

“We regularly practice dances of invocation of the moon, the rain or the sun, if we remember that Wicca is returning to the ancient religion, ours is rich in our country, full go wisdom and magic,” she explains.

“The winter solstice is the birth if the sun Huitzilopochtli, and although we do not properly represent this deity on our altars, I think the symbology is the same, because in our prehispanic Mexico, the meaning of the rebirth of the Sun is very similar to the correspondences in Wicca. Integrating the forms and rituals to the experience of our coven works perfectly, we adequate to the core idea that affirms: where our intention is, also our power”.

Círculo Ágora Meraki also often uses prehispanic symbols in their rituals. Sanchez says, “One that we always use is the sahumerio (burning incense) or popochcomitl, it represents to us the element air that in essence joins the spirit.”

“The syncretism allows us to coexist with the traditions of our surroundings without any problems, since we do it with complete respect and love for our roots. We only invoke prehispanic deities or from any other origin if this is what the organizers of the celebration decide, but it usually varies a lot because the choice of the pantheon or tradition depends on what the group needs.”

The clans of Allthing Ásatrú México do focus on Nordic deities, but they also like expressing their gratitude to the Mexican ones.

“Within Jól’s celebrations, the integration of gods Aesir and Vanir, as well as the giants Jotnar and Thursar, is total. Although, there is a greater focus on winter deities, Skadi and Uller among them, and also the Hrymthursar, who are present during this time of year, remarks Úlfey.

“We only integrate gods form the Nordic/German tradition, without generating eclecticisms and syncretisms. We do not integrate into our celebrations deities from these lands, but we always dedicate them with the present for letting us celebrate, being respectful with the gods and guardians that govern the Mexican territory.”.

However, other Pagans and Witches, like Estanislao, prefer showing their respect to prehispanic symbols or deities by not to including them in their practices.

Estanislao explains, “We do not include any prehispanic deity or practice, or from any Mexican mother tradition, because in a way we try to respect this part. Although a few people that participate in the Cofradía practice some form of shamanism or a type of mexicanidad, we try keeping these practices at bay with respect.”

“Sincerely, I can tell you that I am not someone who knows a lot about prehispanic deities, and being the principal teaching figure in the Cofradía, the intellectual aspect within this spiritual aspect I provide is limited, not including them,” he says. “Though I think that the main reason we don´t include them is an act of respect to this spiritual line we increasingly have more close. If we want a prehispanic ritual it would be easier for us to approach a prehispanic group.”

Other groups like Molmont’s, on the other hand, don´t feel related to them.’ He notes: “Thinking of something prehispanic is like saying we have been conquered. We also not see the traditional ways of our people as something that incorporates into out rites.”

[pixabay]

Besides celebrating with our spiritual groups, covens or clans, it is considered very important to spend time celebrating the holidays with our families and the way we share our beliefs with them can change from one individual to another.

Allthing Ásatrú México’s members usually talk to their families about their beliefs when attending their family celebrations. Úlfey says, “But we do not participate in the ecclesiastical rites they go to, respecting their beliefs just as they respect ours.”

Estanislao’s closest family circle is comprised of his parents and sister; they also practice in the same tradition. Therefore, they participate in the rituals. And when they gather with the rest of the family, the group does not get involved in any religious activity, and their family does not have any issues regarding their practices.

He says, “My grandmother has always been involved in traditions related to Witchcraft, and my family is used to it, and takes naturally to other practices that may be not common in other families.”

Meraki’s celebration with her nuclear family is totally focused on her beliefs. On December 21, they usually take part in a gift exchange, and a toast for all the received blessings and for the rebirth within themselves. They write letters about their plans for the new cycle, and then light them on fire in the cauldron. Finally, they head to the rooftop and release the ashes with their breath.

Later on the family has dinner and stays awake until the sun comes out with the idea of awakening the physical, mental, and emotional bodies at the same time as the light of the sun rises They usually have dinner with her extended family, telling stories around the bonfire. As Meraki reports, her extended family likes when she explains the tradition and will sometimes even ask her for a meditation or a magical working.

Ochoa’s family also respects her beliefs. She says, “…we always try opening a circle before having dinner and welcoming the Sun, despite our independent beliefs.”

“I also consider the Christmas celebration in my family is magical, even though it doesn’t have the ritual part with Wiccan symbology, the simple ritual of dinner, spending time together, having a great conversation, hugging are all apapacho (affectionate) to the heart and without doubt they remind us that together we are stronger, always in perfect love and perfect trust.”

“I believe that in my family we passed through the barrier of wanting to impose who is right about religious beliefs and lifestyles,” Ochoa says. “Instead I think we understand we are united by more profound things. We consider those things as the basis and our differences as a shape, so if the problem is a shape we can adapt that form.”

Twelve years had passed since my first Yule, and it will always have a special place in my memory, heart, and spiritual life. The winter solstice is my favorite celebration of the year because I believe we all share the anticipation in having expectations for the coming year, and we also share the feelings of both nostalgia and hope that arrive as soon as the nights start becoming colder and longer. Many of us joyfully celebrate with our blood families as well as our chosen families, and can do that no matter what our beliefs are and despite the naming or the origins to which we relate.

]]>http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/columna-yule-en-mexico.html/feed0Column: “They would not go with her for a hundred pounds”http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/column-they-would-not-go-with-her-for-a-hundred-pounds.html
http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/column-they-would-not-go-with-her-for-a-hundred-pounds.html#respondFri, 08 Dec 2017 19:48:21 +0000http://wildhunt.org/?p=21220

Having, for the moment, concluded my own pilgrimages to some of the places that Pagans feel sacred, I have been spending my time looking back at what others have thought about pilgrimage as a concept.The anthropologists Edith and Victor Turner claimed that the key feature of pilgrimage was something called communitas. Pilgrimage, they said, brought the pilgrims into a “liminoid” state, a state of being “betwixt and in-between,” outside of the normal bounds of societal rules and hierarchies. (This state is “liminoid” instead of “liminal” because in the contemporary Western societies that the Turners studied, pilgrimage is generally something people choose to do, rather than an obligatory rite of passage for the community; obviously this is not always the case, even in said Western, mostly Christian societies, but the Turners’ model focuses on pilgrimage as something optional rather than mandatory.) While engaged in this liminoid state, pilgrims enter into the state of communitas, wherein individuals become subsumed into homogeneous groups based on their shared “lowliness, sacredness, and comradeship.”

For the Turners, pilgrimage was a kind of radical egalitarianism, where, through the power of religious ritual, the structural bonds the divide society could be dismissed, leaving all pilgrims as an unmediated, undivided throng. This was, of course, a passing state of affairs; eventually the pilgrim returns home and reintegrates into the structures of society, with all the old hierarchies intact. Indeed, communitas, which the Turners also referred to as “social antistructure,” often ended up reinforcing the very structure it critiqued by acting as a sort of pressure valve for the greater society.

The Turners and their theory of pilgrimage as communitas have hardly been universally accepted in the field, it must be said: the scholars John Eade and Michael Sallnow have questioned the idea altogether, noting that in numerous anthropological studies of pilgrimage, the anti-structural quality of communitas was found to be nonexistent. Instead, pilgrimages have been argued to actually reinforce prior hierarchies and social distinctions, not just by giving pilgrims a space to relieve themselves temporarily of the pressures of their typical lives in societal structures, but by giving those societal structures new arenas to contest against one another. Despite these critiques, the Turners’ communitas has remained one of the major academic understandings of pilgrimage.

Thingvellir National Park, Iceland [E. Scott].

I derive much of my own understanding of pilgrimage from my own experiences traveling to places sacred to me: Thingvellir in Iceland, Stonehenge in England or, closer to home, the Gaea Retreat outside of Kansas City. In visiting these places, I’ve had my own experiences with communitas: I’ve been welcomed by Heathens and Druids, drawn into the circles of witches who, despite my being a stranger to them, accepted me into something like the Turners’ state of community. As a Pagan, the experience of this communitas has been a powerful experience; these moments of generosity and hospitality are the moments I most feel as though I am part of something like a “Pagan community.”

But as a writer, I’m fascinated by the fragility of communitas, the tension it brings between the individual pilgrim and the communities she encounters. Many writers of pilgrimage travelogues describe the conflict between maintaining the self-reflexive critical perspective of the individual — the voice, indeed, of the author as an autonomous thinker — and releasing herself into this undifferentiated community. What the Turners think of as a blessed, lovely connection, many writers seem to find a kind of ego-annihilation; to become part of the communitas is, to some extent, to surrender one’s own conception of the self. On the other side of the coin, to exist outside and apart from the structure of society, the pilgrim must belong to an exclusive group: another form of societal structure and hierarchy, one that many pilgrim authors struggle to conform with.

Joanna Swan portraying Margery Kempe for the play “Margery Kempe, the Wife of Lynn’s Tale” [Bard on the Wire blog].

One of my favorite accounts of such a pilgrim’s struggle is The Book of Margery Kempe, a medieval text dictated by Kempe herself that describes her life as a would-be mystic in 14th century Norfolk. Kempe describes herself as an odd figure, constantly visited by the presence of the Christian god and reduced to tears and uncontrollable emotion by that presence. Normally one would think of such mystic visions as occasions for high theological drama; witness Kempe’s contemporary, Julian of Norwich, whose spent decades as an anchoress contemplating her own surreal visions of that god, and whose fame spread far enough to attract visits from pilgrims of her own. (Margery was herself one such visitor.) But when Kempe describes her travels in the Holy Land, her visions of her god make her more of a nuisance than a miracle to those she is supposed to being entering into communitas with:

“[After a visitation from her god] she rode on an ass to Bethlehem and when she came to the temple and to the crib where our Lord was born, she had great devotion, much speech, and dalliance in her soul, and high ghostly comfort with much weeping and sobbing so that her fellows would not let her eat in their company. And therefore she ate her meals by herself alone.”

It doesn’t get any better for poor Margery. For the duration of her pilgrimage, her fellow pilgrims shun her because of her outbursts; they refuse to let her come with them to the River Jordan (though she goes anyway) and later refuse to help her climb the mountain where Christ reportedly spent his 40 days in fasting. Kempe is forced to purchase the aid of a Saracen in order to see the sight. When the pilgrims begin their trip back to England, they abandon her: “And when our Lord had brought them again to Venice safely,” she writes, “her countrymen forsook her and went away from her, leaving her alone. And some of them said that they would not go with her for a hundred pounds.”

The first time I read The Book of Margery Kempe, I couldn’t help but mock her. She, after all, spent her time consumed by weeping and moaning; I imagined myself in the shoes of her fellow pilgrims, who had come to the Holy Land to see the sights and maybe have a nice, mild religious experience, who were instead constantly confronted by this person who just could not stop being visited by this god. If my friends acted that way I might abandon them in Venice too. But the more I read the book, the more sympathy I feel for Margery. She, after all, achieved what we’re all supposedly trying to achieve when we go on pilgrimage: to come to somewhere holy and have it live up to our expectations of the divine. She was denied communitas because she herself got too close to her god. Beneath the crying and wailing, there is a deep irony there, one I am thankful I have not yet experienced myself.

* * *

The views and opinions expressed by our diverse panel of columnists and guest writers represent the many diverging perspectives held within the global Pagan, Heathen and polytheist communities, but do not necessarily reflect the views of The Wild Hunt Inc. or its management.

]]>http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/column-they-would-not-go-with-her-for-a-hundred-pounds.html/feed0An update and Pagan reactions to the Masterpiece Cake casehttp://wildhunt.org/2017/12/an-update-and-pagan-reactions-to-the-masterpiece-cake-case.html
http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/an-update-and-pagan-reactions-to-the-masterpiece-cake-case.html#respondThu, 07 Dec 2017 18:52:32 +0000http://wildhunt.org/?p=21212WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments Tuesday for the case Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd., et, al. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, et. al. As noted on the SCOTUSblog, “Lines began forming outside the Supreme Court last week for one of the biggest oral arguments of the year, in the case of a Colorado man who says that requiring him to create custom cakes for same-sex weddings would violate his religious beliefs.”

The case is being touted as the biggest and most talked-about of this court term. The issues raised focus on not only religious liberty, but the boundaries between free expression and discrimination. To what point can a citizen express themselves freely before that personal expression negatively impacts the good of the greater community? When must and under what circumstances does an individual sacrifice personal freedoms in order to live in a safe and open society?

These are not easy questions to answer, especially within a society growing in diversity and acceptance. At the same time, these issues are actually at the heart of the American internal dialog. The country’s own mythology, and its self-awareness, are grounded in the ideals of individual freedom of expression and religious belief, as well as the fostering a community that safely allows for these things without discrimination.

The negotiation of these issues in real time is what leads to cases like Masterpiece.

In a previous article, we broke down the basics of the case and why its important. In brief, the baker Jack Phillips and his attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom argue that he is a cake artist, and that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission infringed on his constitutional rights of free expression when they attempted to force him to make a cake for a same-sex wedding. Phillips says that, due to his deeply-held religious beliefs, he is unable to create art that celebrates same-sex marriage, something that he is against. Using RFRA language, they also argue that the state’s requirements burden his free exercise of his religion.

The defendants, including the commission and the couple that Phillips turned away, argue that Phillips has neither been restricted from practicing his religion by his refusal to make the cake, nor has he had his free expression limited. They argue that his business is one of public accommodation, and therefore falls under the commission’s regulations, and his refusal to make the cake was discrimination and nothing else.

According to reports, the judges appear to fall along predictable lines. Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito, and Justice Neil Gorsch all reportedly appear to “fall squarely in Phillips’ corner,” while the more liberal justices appear to side more with the Colorado couple.

As SCOTUSblog analyst Amy Howe writes, “Even if there are five votes in favor of Masterpiece, those justices will face a dilemma: how do they draw a line that respects the religious beliefs of people like Phillips without, as Breyer put it, ‘creating chaos.’ As the more liberal justices’ questions for Waggoner illustrate, that is easier said than done.”

The case is being watched closely by members of the Pagan, Heathen, and polytheist communities. We turned to a number of people to ask their thoughts on aspects of the case. Each intervewee had much to offer on this heated topic. We summarized their thoughts for the article; however, each person’s full response is provided in a link.

We first turned to Lady Liberty League, which is the the Pagan rights advocacy organization based in Wisconsin. Founder and director Rev. Selena Fox simply said, “I have been doing weddings for more than 40 years and consider wedding related businesses — cakes, flowers, attire, invitations, music, and other services with artistic or creative dimensions as businesses in the public square subject to public accommodation regulations.”

Fox then added that she also has been deeply involved in the arts for long time and is a strong advocate for free speech. She added, “However, art that is related to businesses with government interface — which in this case is a legal wedding — needs to be available to all.”

LLL assistant director Dianne Duggan said, “I fully support freedom of speech and of religion. As one who has emerged from several closets (LGBTQ and Pagan), I am hyper-aware of restrictive and discriminatory language and actions.”

However, she adds that she has a mixed opinion. At face value, as she explains, “It is easy to say that it is the baker’s right to practice their faith and no one can or should interfere with that. In actuality, however, no one was trying to deny their freedom of speech or religion. No one said they cannot practice their faith or talk about it. In making their business open to the public, the baker opened themselves up to whomever might walk through the door for an order. This is no different than a case of racial discrimination.”

She continues on, “While sexual orientation is not a fully protected class (it varies by state), it is on the borderline of being such a class. It takes legislative and judicial action to protect a class of folks and I believe that is where our courts are headed. Had the couple asked for something illegal, the baker could have refused. In this case, there was nothing illegal.”

Duggan agrees with Fox that the limits of constitutional protections end when a business is opened to the public. Duggan says, “Because they run a business open to the public, they cannot deny a class of customer.” (Duggan’s full response)

The protection of free expression entered the debate because Phillips considers himself an artist. We asked two Pagan artists about their own experiences facing clients with whom they may not agree fundamentally or religiously, and their thoughts on the boundaries between free expression and overt discrimination.

Allan Spiers said he has created art that was contrary to his own personal beliefs. Spiers is a graphic designer, photographer and artist. He is also co-owner of the Voudou Store. He explains, “One of my main businesses is as a graphic designer. I specialize in political advertising and have done work for both parties. I have had to do a lot of work that pertained to ideals that did not align with my own, and I was completely okay with this because at the end of the day, I am getting paid. As a business owner it isn’t my job to cater to only my point of view, but solely the point of view of the client who hired me. That is the cost of doing business.”

Spiers adds that he did turn away one project that was particularly problematic. “It was an anti-gay smear piece paid for by the Republican party. That was where my line in the sand was.”

He explains, “In my opinion, freedom of expression is something that is personal. When that expression extends beyond the artist as an individual and starts to effect other people, whether it be hate speech meant to stand in the way of the liberties and freedom of others, or something that excludes a specific community or communities of people, it should not be protected.” (Spiers’ full response)

Laura Tempest Zakroff agreed with Spiers, also delineating between arts and crafts sold in a business open to the public versus art sold or created other ways. She says, “When you are a private/independent artist, you can choose to paint/make art of whatever you want … Want to make photos of only gay men for your portfolio and shows? Great! That’s your art, and you’re probably paying your models, versus them paying you. Want to paint the female body exclusively? Then that’s your choice and expression – so if someone says, “hey, could you paint a picture of my horse?” it’s not discrimination because it’s not the kind of work you do, and the point of your artwork isn’t to satisfy a service.”

She continues, “When you are an advertised service industry with a brick and mortar location on the street then picking and choosing customers solely on their religion, color, gender, or sexuality is plain discrimination.”

Zakroff herself is an artist, performer, and author. She is and has been both a business woman in some instances and an independent artist in others. When asked if she has created art that is contrary to her own beliefs, she says that, in a way, she does that regularly. “I paint deities that I do not personally work with.” However, she adds that it isn’t that she doesn’t believe in the deities, it is just that she doesn’t work with them. (Zakroff’s full response)

Both Zakroff and Spiers agree strongly that this was a clear case of discrimination. Spiers says, “Regardless if one considers this free expression of art or not, it is still hate,” and Zakroff notes, “This case is not about artistic expression nor beliefs – it’s about getting a pass at being a bigot and a crap businessperson.”

Next we turned to two activists and vocal proponents of freedom of religion. Casey McCarthy is a Druid from Denver, who has recently made news for his aggressive work to offer support to the Sioux nation in their struggle against oil pipelines. Ritualist Eric Eldritch is based in Washington D.C. and has been involved in interfaith ministry for years. He is a Radical Faerie and a member of Circle Sanctuary and Stone Circle Wicca.

McCarthy took a more philosophical approach noting the larger picture to which this one case points. He says, “This is an ethical, ontological, and sociological query that bears close examination. It comes down to a very important dialectic which sits central to many of the themes we are seeing in our sociopolitical environment. This being a call for secular humanism vs. religious expression as the modus operandi for resolution of conflicts. In my opinion, our society is trying to move in the direction of compassion, kindness, and mutual acceptance for a myriad of life experiences by adopting a stance of personal accountability and responsibility for one’s actions towards other people.”

He believes that the case is a demonstration of the struggle happening as we evolve as a culture. “We are seeing a terrible upsurge in regressive thinking which wants to place the authority back on an externalized viewpoint. Rather than looking at themselves and going through the pain of realization of personal responsibility for what their privilege has cost the rest of humanity.”

Theologically speaking, McCarthy says, “As a practicing religious polytheist, I am all for defending religious freedoms, including freedom of speech,” but he ended by saying, “You don’t get to claim religious exemption from anything that involves causing harm to others.” (McCarthy’s full response)

Pagan Collective of Victoria [Credit: Kylie Moroney Photography]

Eldritch also takes a broader approach when considering the case. He says, “This debate on the national stage, reminds me of two concepts used by activists in general and important to Pagans in specific: pluralism and intersectionality. We are the legacy of our ancestors who dreamt of many people of many cultures, beliefs, norms and identities living side by side purposefully and peacefully. As Pagans we understand the principles of respect shared resources, the elements teach us we are not only interdependent for breathe, heat, water and land, but also for health, safety and commerce.”

Having just recently enjoyed his own wedding, Eldritch notes that his spiritual work has taught him “not [to] treat people as issues” or to handle all relationships as “subject-subject” rather than “object-object.” However, the court system and commerce caused blur lines in this respect.

He adds that he sees these type of issues, in which subject and object are blurred, playing out in his own communities, and he advocates for radical respect, adding “This ‘cake and commerce’ debate has no real resolution between people who cling to their principles.”

Taking on his seasoned role as a minister, Eldritch adds, “Let’s pray to our god/dess/es for radical respect and positive transformation. We are all in this together.” (Eldritch’s full response)

The Masterpiece Cakeshop case does, as noted by our interviewees, point to fundamental issues that are currently being negotiated within contemporary society. Where are the boundaries between free expression and discrimination? When does religious belief have to take a back seat to the protection of the communal good? Can a wedding cake constitute expressive art?

The final decision is expected to be delivered in summer, 2018. We will continue to update this story as needed.

]]>http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/an-update-and-pagan-reactions-to-the-masterpiece-cake-case.html/feed0Tumblr’s Witch community appears in site’s top rankings for first timehttp://wildhunt.org/2017/12/tumblrs-witch-community-appears-in-sites-top-rankings-for-first-time.html
http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/tumblrs-witch-community-appears-in-sites-top-rankings-for-first-time.html#respondWed, 06 Dec 2017 18:32:44 +0000http://wildhunt.org/?p=21208TWH – Witchblr, the Tumblr fan community dedicated to Witchcraft, found itself in the site’s top rankings for 2017. Every year, Tumblr produces fandommetrics to illustrate what subjects, communities and memes were most popular with its users over the past year. Witchblr appeared for the first time in the rankings, coming in at the number 11 spot for Tumblr communities.

Tumblr is a social media and micro-blogging platform that was launched in 2007 by David Karpe. It is predominantly populated by younger users, with nearly 50% ranging from 16-24 years of age. According to Business Insider, “Unlike networks that encourage quick messaging and brief glances at the feed, Tumblr’s emphasis on multimedia blog posts means users spend a fair amount of time creating and digesting what’s on the site. More total time is spent on Tumblr than on bigger social networks like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest,”

As a result the Tumblr communities are closer in nature to true communities than, for example, the Twitter experience. Witchblr is no exception to this idea, and it supports a large group of people who either practice or are interested in all things witchy.

Witchblr members post everything from advice and spells, to art and poetry, to personal experience and political rants, and of course the ever-popular meme.

Historically speaking, Witchcraft tends to peak in mainstream popularity during periods of social unrest or other forms of cultural change. Pop culture interests in the occult spiked in the late 1970s, after the cultural revolution and civil rights movement. It did again in the 1990s, as society shifted through war, political swings, and the coming digital revolution.

As was the case in all three periods, Witchcraft tends to attract young people, more specifically young women. It offers these seekers a path to find and to embrace a personal agency that they might otherwise lack. Sometimes these explorations into the occult serve as way to rebel against the status quo and parents, or serve as a way to find oneself. In many cases, the journey leads to a religious or spiritual awakening, as it has for many of the Wild Hunt‘s regular readers.

Unlike in past decades, the search and exposure to occult practices have come to many people chiefly through digital avenues. This is where Witchblr comes in.

In 2016, Tumblr user Abby told the Pacific Standard that she identifies as a digital witch. The article reads:

Instead of unloading her fears and frustrations into a wordy diatribe, Abby carefully crafts a string of emoji: books, sparkles, a pen, the sun — which she then works backward so the line mirrors itself. Beneath this, she adds the caption ‘Spell for success on all of your tests! Likes charge it, and reblogs cast it.’

In several hours, Abby could earn “over 400 likes and reblogs.” After one such case, she told the reporter that, “[the spell’s] getting powerful.”

Spells, which many Witches might do using paper and pen or purely with sound and voice, are now being done and shared using only pixels and electricity. For example, one of the more popular spell types involves using emojis, those cute little pictures found in nearly all contemporary communication platforms.

Just as Abby said, liking the emoji post charges the spell, and reblogging the post casts it.

This is the world of modern digital Witchcraft, and it appears to be growing as Tumblr now reports that Witchcraft is officially trending and the Witchblr community made the rankings for the first time.

It is important to note that digital Witch communities are not new. There was a time when young computer-oriented Witches and the curious might have shared community over Usenet and other earlier digital forums; Witchblr is the contemporary version.

Unlike those early forums and the more contemporary versions in Facebook and other social media sites, Tumblr allows for a greater display of personal expression and visual media sharing, which appeals to the younger, internet-savvy generation. It is a multimedia extravaganza of the witchy kind.

For many Pagans, digital Witchcraft might seem ridiculous and even unsound; there is a similar distrust of digital Tarot applications. However, the market is growing as the population becomes more dependent on computers, generally speaking, and more computer literate. This is a reality that is not going away.

At the same time, traditional practice is still going strong. Not all Witchblr posts concern digital spells and clever memes. Since many of the users are college students, there are serious requests for assistance on academic projects, specially related to occult practice. For example, in 2016, the user “meticulous maker” performed a survey of Witchblr users for a religion 101 project.

Meticulous maker wrote, “I’m doing a research project on contemporary Witchcraft and Neopaganism, specifically on how the internet and modern technology have shaped this religious practice in unique ways.”

Witchblr users are sharing their recommended books on various occult topics, and discussing more traditional craft information such as herbal properties, stone work, and their favorite tarot spreads. Users will post photos of their altars, tarot readings, and workings that they do “IRL” (in real life.)

While there is much flash and flair, Tumblr’s Witch community is not all fun and spells; users are also getting political, including discussions on the controversial topics such as the repeated hexing of the president.

One user named Pastor Witch wrote, “I think what I am struggling with most is how much magick so many witches worked to prevent Trump and how none of it seems to have come to fruition. Where did we go wrong? I have a friend who felt we were repaid for our hexes . . . . I think part of it is of course that we did not do as much in the real world to prevent him. Or perhaps we were not strong enough. Thoughts?”

While most Tumblr users, across communities, include some of the youngest people on the internet, older people are reportedly showing an increased interest in the platform, according to Business Insider. However, it is not clear whether these people are actually from older generations who are just now discovering Tumblr, or whether they are aging Tumblr users who remain with their beloved social media platform after passing out of the main age demongraphic.

Either way, the community still remains on the cutting edge of pop culture as a whole, and that includes Witchcraft. Tumblr hosts a magical community that is diverse in its practice, from more traditional Wicca to various conjure crafts and more, and strong in its engagement. And, this community of digital Witches is growing, and dare we even say trending.

To experience Witchblr, go to the main Tumblr site, and type Witchblr into the search bar. It is a whole new witchy world. While you are there, try an emoji spell, and let us know how it went!

]]>http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/tumblrs-witch-community-appears-in-sites-top-rankings-for-first-time.html/feed0Palmyran goddess recreated for U.N. exhibithttp://wildhunt.org/2017/12/palmyran-goddess-recreated-for-u-n-exhibit.html
http://wildhunt.org/2017/12/palmyran-goddess-recreated-for-u-n-exhibit.html#respondTue, 05 Dec 2017 20:04:06 +0000http://wildhunt.org/?p=21205NEW YORK –A replica statue of a goddess sometimes equated with Athena, destroyed in Palmyra in 2015, is the centerpiece of an exhibit on display at the United Nations headquarters. While the destruction of that historic Syrian city by members of Daesh led to near-universal outrage, the display of this and other reproductions is not without controversy of its own.

When Daesh troops occupied Palmyra, they set about on a systematic destruction of all traces of that city’s Pagan history. They accomplished this with brutal efficiency, using hammers and explosives to accomplish the task, which was carried out in August 2015. Violence was also part of formula; Khaled al-Asaad, head of antiquities there, hid many valuables and died rather than disclose where they were.

The World Heritage site has sustained considerable damage during the fighting that year and through to earlier 2017.

Decried as cultural destruction by many, the attack on Pagan holy sites were felt more deeply and personally by some polytheists and Pagans. News of what has been termed “the most heinous non-lethal crimes” perpetrated in the name of Daesh moved one polytheist, for example, to commemorate the city and its gods in jewelry.

Ellen, which is all the name she was willing to share, fashioned a number of pins which included depictions of the city’s main temples to be used both as reminder of the erased history and mini-temples to remember those deities. She distributed them for free to those with an interest carrying on that work.

Palmyra shrine pin [courtesy].

One of the other ways that this destruction is being mitigated is with 3D printing. An analysis of thousands of images of destroyed artifacts has made it possible to use the technology to create copies of the originals. A reproduction of the Palmyra Arch was unveiled in Trafalgar Square in 2016, and now an exhibit at the United Nations entitled “the Spirit in the Stone” includes a number of other artifact copies, among them the arch and a goddess statue, the original of which was partially destroyed in the Palmyra Museum.

The statue was believed to represent the goddess Al-lāt, one of the pre-Islamic deities worshiped in the region; the figure likely was first associated with Athena when the city was under Roman rule. As with the entire exhibit, the statue’s creation resulted from a collaboration among Dubai Future Foundation, the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations, and the Institute of Digital Archaeology at the University of Oxford. Whether Al-lāt or Athena, the statue is the centerpiece of the exhibit.

While Roger Michel, executive director of the Oxford institute, is quoted as saying that “for thousands of years, Athena was synonymous with reason, refuge and the rule of law all of the same values on which that historic institution was built,” critics note that she is also a war goddess.

Athena/Al-lāt statue before its head and arm from removed in 2015 [Wikimedia Commons].

It appears that the negative feedback about the exhibit has an Abrahamic bent, with a story in Breaking Israel News being quoted in most versions. In that article, a rabbi interviewed discussed why the display of Pagan symbols is problematic in his view: “Paganism creates the ability for each man to create his own truth, as opposed to Judaism and Christianity, which state that there is an objective truth man must abide by. The UN, like paganism, is a place of subjective reality created by a vote.”

Echoing both that concern and the position of some Abrahamic theologians that this exhibit is part of a prophesied “end of days” are writers holding other extreme values, such as the unnamed editor of White Nation Network, who believes that the statue is part and parcel of church corruption that can also be seen in the Maltese cross and pine cones that appear in some Christian iconography.

What’s striking about reaction to this exhibit is that it both evokes outrage against religious extremism and outrage from religious extremists. Destroying the past goes too far for many people to accept, but reproducing those Pagan artifacts for display in a modern context also pushes the envelope of acceptability.

The preferred way forward for those opposed appears to be one that allows the past to be remembered, but remain in the past; that’s a mindset which is not likely to sit well with contemporary polytheists, Heathens, and Pagans.